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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29843988">What You Will, As You Like</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yosu/pseuds/Yosu'>Yosu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rockman Zero | Mega Man Zero</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - 'oops i possessed a dead body', Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Implied/Referenced Character Death, No beta we die like Iris, Other, Possession, Rockman Zero | Mega man Zero - Freeform, Swearing, i wrote this instead of working</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:41:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29843988</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yosu/pseuds/Yosu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“...Yes.” She pauses. “Of course.” Her voice sounds gruff and boyish enough, although she’s never heard Zero speak in her life, she hopes this is enough to pass. “...I’m here to help.”</p><p>And now begins the long con of Passy pretends to be a dead man she’s never met.</p><p>(You’ll have a hard time believing this because it never happens, but Passy has made a mistake.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Passy &amp; Ciel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Life, Death, and Fake Rebirth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Something is clearly </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong </span>
  </em>
  <span>when Passy is still alive and Zero is still dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>wrong when Passy is very obviously possessing Zero’s corpse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel stares at her -- well, stares at </span>
  <em>
    <span>Zero, </span>
  </em>
  <span>really, </span>
  <span>because Ciel most likely doesn’t know that the red savior is as good as </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead </span>
  </em>
  <span>now. </span>
  <span>Worse than dead, being possessed by a tiny little fairy who doesn’t even know how to fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re here, Zero. You’ve been resurrected.” Ciel says softly, ever so shaky and paranoid sounding, looking gently at Passy. “Please. Help us.” She pauses. “Please help </span>
  <em>
    <span>me,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She whimpers. “I’ve lost everyone here, I… Milan, Passy..” The young scientist sobs, falling into Passy / Zero’s chest. It must’ve been comforting to have a strong, capable hero like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Zero </span>
  </em>
  <span>around. After losing so much, a wild card -- a </span>
  <em>
    <span>powerful </span>
  </em>
  <span>wild card.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy just hates how it’s a lie. And Passy </span>
  <em>
    <span>hates </span>
  </em>
  <span>lying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She coughs, an attempt to deepen her voice. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’ll have a hard time believing this because it never happens, but I made a mistake, </span>
  </em>
  <span>is what she wants to say, to reveal to Ciel that Zero’s long dead. And Passy, as Ciel’s former cyber elf, knows all too well that Ciel would have something akin to a nervous breakdown realizing that the months upon months of searching for Zero was all useless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, Passy doesn’t confess the truth. Even if it was a lie, that Passy was Zero, that was better than the cruel truth -- especially for a young girl who’s been living in fear for years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least, Passy thought so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Yes.” She pauses. “Of course.” Her voice sounds gruff and boyish enough, although she’s never heard Zero speak in her </span>
  <em>
    <span>life, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she hopes this is enough to pass. “...I’m here to help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And now begins the long con of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Passy pretends to be a dead man she’s never met.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel pulls away, still crying tears of joy. “T-...” She stammers, “thank you, Zero!” She wipes her eyes from tears, and immediately hides behind Passy. Understandable, the cyber elf thinks, Ciel </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>just a young girl and she </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>under a lot of stress most of the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I should thank you,” Passy pauses. Technically, she -- well, Zero, wouldn’t know Ciel’s name yet. So, she refrains. “...Thank you for waking me up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabs the gun that Milan left behind. Of course, Passy’s never shot a gun before, but if she’s going to be fighting, she has to at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>learn. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Her body tenses when she notices that a </span>
  <em>
    <span>crowd </span>
  </em>
  <span>of pantheons are beginning to form -- after her. After Ciel. This is quite possibly the </span>
  <em>
    <span>worst </span>
  </em>
  <span>time to learn how to use a weapon, but hey, better late than never, in Passy thinks. Stress is the best teacher, as some say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Passy is </span>
  <em>
    <span>absolutely </span>
  </em>
  <span>terrified and has no idea what to do other than letting adrenaline take over.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy’s hands are shaking, her finger wrapping around the trigger, and then--</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Pwap.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound isn’t as deafening, as she would imagine it to be. The gun is loaded, completely, which is good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The even… would the word be </span>
  <em>
    <span>gooder? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Whatever. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The even gooder part is that the bullet shot a clean hole into one of the pantheons, injuring a couple more. Passy isn’t a fighter, far from one. She’s a cyber elf, a healer by trade and Ciel’s (former) right hand man. But now, probably and hopefully for now, she has to go against her morals. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In a sick way, in a way Passy </span>
  <em>
    <span>hates </span>
  </em>
  <span>to explain it as, this is a play and she is playing the part as Zero. A violent, very </span>
  <em>
    <span>real </span>
  </em>
  <span>play, but Passy is still acting a role for a person who isn’t alive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Follow me.” She says, stoically, running forward, firing more bullets at the crowd of pantheons. Passy is still not used to firing the gun, her trigger finger still just as shaky as when she first fired it, and she only believes she’s firing it capably enough because of muscle memory. Passy is thankfully that the body she possessed was a fighter, and not anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Pwap.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Pwap.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Pwap.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Pwap.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The cavern -- the </span>
  <em>
    <span>lab, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she reminds herself -- is just as dark and damp as it was when they entered, but now crawling with pantheons and other crawling… </span>
  <em>
    <span>things.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>(Passy absolutely hates spiders now.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closes her eyes at points. There simply so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>blood, </span>
  </em>
  <span>horrifying amounts. And most of it isn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>hers, </span>
  </em>
  <span>or Ciel (thank god).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy stops when Ciel tells her too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...It’s a dead end.” Ciel sighs, walking in front of Passy, and Passy opens her eyes. A thick, concrete wall. Completely unfamiliar from when they first entered. “I… i- it’s a dead end…” She stammers, her voice thick and layered with a clear and anxious disappointment.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She’s going to fall.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>…?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>sound </span>
  </em>
  <span>like Passy’s voice, although she’s never really </span>
  <em>
    <span>thought </span>
  </em>
  <span>about what her ‘conscious’ sounds like. Thinking on it, that’s not really something someone really thinks about, right? Passy knows what her </span>
  <em>
    <span>voice </span>
  </em>
  <span>sounds like, but not really what her </span>
  <em>
    <span>mind </span>
  </em>
  <span>sounds. It’s a bit of a mind-fuck to think about, so Passy isn’t going to think about it now.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I said she’s going to fall.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>…?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, the ground beneath Ciel begins to crumble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy heart -- well, she doesn’t actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>have </span>
  </em>
  <span>a heart -- skips a beat, and she lunges forward to hold on to Ciel.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit shit shit shit shit-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>They free fall for a moment, Ciel clinging onto Passy’s body, and Passy mentally </span>
  <em>
    <span>screaming </span>
  </em>
  <span>all the while. But she keeps it all in, as she’s sure screaming like a girl is quite unbefitting of a legendary warrior like Zero. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>really hard </span>
  </em>
  <span>to suppress the urge. Maybe this whole </span>
  <em>
    <span>shtick, </span>
  </em>
  <span>as Passy sees it, will be a test of mental win rather than a test of her physical capabilities. Which is a strange concept.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they reach the ground, Passy is a bit surprised her knees don’t shatter on impact. The perks of being in a strong, sturdy reploid body, she thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She breathes out, letting out any pent up anxieties she was holding in at that moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I,” Ciel breathes out, shaking as she was when this began. She turns to look at Passy, her face clammy and terrified. Pasys could understand that. A full minute of free falling would make anyone have a mini panic attack. “You... thank you…” She breathes, again. “This place seems to be a prehistoric laboratory. We may be able to find a Trans Server, which we can use to go back to the Resistance Base.” Of course, Passy knows all this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lower hallway was as dilapidated as the rest of the lab, water up to Passy’s boots. And, thanks to Zero’s body having a nose (something Passy did not have when she was a cyber elf), she could just smell how </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrible </span>
  </em>
  <span>the lab was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the end of the hallway was a collapsed pile of rubble. Just great. They could </span>
  <em>
    <span>probably</span>
  </em>
  <span> find another way out, which was fine and completely doable, but it would simply just </span>
  <em>
    <span>take a long time. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And Passy knows very well that Ciel simply wants to get home back to the resistance base. So does Passy, as well. This entire </span>
  <em>
    <span>event </span>
  </em>
  <span>just makes her want to go home. And maybe try and eat some e-crystals, but she would probably throw up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How nice... This passageway has collapsed.” Ciel grumbled, looking at Passy. “Shall we go back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy feels another sense from her consciousness. The conscious voice that doesn't sound like her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Watch out.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait-- C--” Before she can finish that train of thought, reaching out to Ciel, a golem arm grabs Ciel and grabs her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She runs into the lab, following after Ciel and the golem.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit shit shit shit shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The trans server room is relatively cleaner than the rest of the lab. However, Passy can’t focus on that at the moment, but rather, </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh my god, Ciel is going to get killed, or worse, and it’s all my fault because I’m not Zero.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zero!” Ciel cries, squirming in the hand of the golem, looking at Passy. “No! Run... you can't damage this thing with a Buster…”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You can’t. You have to find another way. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The conscious voice rings, and despite being </span>
  <em>
    <span>weirdly right about stuff, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Passy hesitates, finger on the buster’s trigger. Before firing multiple times. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>has </span>
  </em>
  <span>to find a way to win, to save Ciel. She may not be a legendary reploid like Zero, she may just be a tiny cyber elf, but she has to fight, or at least die trying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As both the voice and Ciel said, the bullets don’t even pierce the golem’s body. They don’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>tink </span>
  </em>
  <span>off its body, just hopelessly get absorbed into the hulking being’s armor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rats!” Passy cries, realizing that the buster is running rather low on bullets. This was going bad rather quickly, and Passy is hardly experienced in fighting to know what to do at that moment. She knows how to strategize for other people, but not for herself. “I…!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She almost crumples from the pressure. She doesn’t want to fail, and she doesn’t want Ciel to fail, either. Or, want to see her </span>
  <em>
    <span>die.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, well, well... if it isn’t my old friend: the dawning realization that I messed up. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>As she slowly begins to give up, completely on the brink, a computer monitor flashes on.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Passy. Listen to me.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>...Huh? </span>
  </em>
  <span>She isn’t sure if that was her or her consciousness at that moment. But it was not heard by either Ciel or the golem, thankfully enough. That would be embarrassing, having her situation blown over by some computer speaking to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Use this. </b>
  <span>voice, completely unlike either her voice or the consciousness, echoed in her mind, sounding robot in nature but still sounding vaguely human. It almost sounded how Passy would expect god to sound like.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>You have to hurry.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You have to save her, don't waste your precious time.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>And protect that body. </b>
  <span>The voice adds, before fading from Passy’s mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unlike the rest of what the monitor told her, that part sounded unnaturally stern, she’s almost surprised there wasn’t a </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘or else’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>added at the end. It sounded like an overprotective </span>
  <em>
    <span>threat rather than</span>
  </em>
  <span> a simple reminder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, why was the voice so protective over Zero’s body?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who… </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>the bovice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t have time to even </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank </span>
  </em>
  <span>the computer, before a whip-like chain appears, floating from one of the monitors, falling to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy lets the adrenaline and instincts take over, grabbing the chain. She’s actually never </span>
  <em>
    <span>used </span>
  </em>
  <span>a whip before, just as she’s never used a gun before or having a physical body. Passy is essentially doing all of this without preparation or practise, as she never planned or expected </span>
  <em>
    <span>any of this. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She actually wholly expected today to be her last, but as evident of her still being alive, that did not happen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And --</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a swing of the chain --</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The golem is down in one hit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well. That went better than she expected it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the golem exploded, Passy went to cover Ciel, which the golem dropped the moment the chain pierced the armored body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy is silent. Ciel is silent. The room is silent, aside from the exploding corpse of the golem.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the explosion ceases, leaving a burned carcass of what was a golem, Ciel sits up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can't believe you were able to destroy a </span>
  <em>
    <span>golem…”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ciel mumbles out, rubbing her head. “We were right. You ARE Zero, the legendary Reploid!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, actually, I’m Passy and I’m just possessing a reploid who was once named Zero! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Passy corrects, mentally, again refraining from telling Ciel the ugly truth of the situation at hand. She stood, rubbing her head. It’s weird getting used to Zero’s gangly and thin body, a complete contrast to what Passy once had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zero...? Is that my name?” She fibs. Passy guessed that, if Zero </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>resurrected, he would probably suffer from hibernation sickness. “Ugh, I can't remember…” She’s thankful that Ciel is gullible, as terrible as that sounds, because Passy is a horrible actress and an even worse liar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel nodded, standing up and dusting her dress. “Just relax for a moment. You have hibernation sickness. I'm sorry for forcing you to wake up. And...” She pauses, before bowing respectfully. “Thank you for saving me. My name is Ciel. I'm a scientist. Let's go to our base, before more enemies arrive.” Passy, again, knows all of this. She’s known Ciel her entire life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she has to go back to square one in their relationship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy tenses up. “...What if I'm not the Zero you were talking about?” She asks softly, which was probably a bad idea, because she </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Zero Ciel was talking about, she never could </span>
  <em>
    <span>be </span>
  </em>
  <span>Zero.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You proved to me that you are Zero by saving me from the golem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, </span>
  </em>
  <span>is all Passy could really think. “That makes sense to me.” She’s speaking on autopilot at that moment. It doesn’t really make sense to her, not at all. She feels </span>
  <em>
    <span>worse, </span>
  </em>
  <span>actually. She feels terrible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She feels </span>
  <em>
    <span>confused.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Entering the transceiver room was silent. Passy feels so bad lying, she feels so horrible she can’t muster anything aside from polite </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank yous </span>
  </em>
  <span>and neutral </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>no’s. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel taps into the transceiver console, as Passy simple just watches. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are in luck.” Ciel says, calmly and relieved, much more confident sounding that her panicked paranoia from early. “The Trans Server is still active. We can go back to our Resistance Base.” She smiles, happy, as Passy steps onto the teleporter pad. “Let's go!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passy feels so </span>
  <em>
    <span>drained </span>
  </em>
  <span>at that moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell </span>
  </em>
  <span>is she going to do now?</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>Dear God / Zero / Whoever the voice in my head was-</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>With great power of possessing a legendary reploid comes great need to take a nap. </span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>Please wake me up later.</span>
    </em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Resistance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Victims, Resistance, Lies, and cat dolls.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Passy is barely getting used to the body mechanics of a reploid. Solid limbs, no ability to go intangible, or warping <em> anything, </em> really. She was only moving so cleanly and lucidly in the lab because of the adrenaline rushing in her -- <em> Zero’s -- </em> body. In a calm situation, in a <em> normal </em>situation, she was stumbling like a doe just learning how to walk. </p><p>In some sick way, it must've been funny to watch a legendary reploid walk like a confused child.</p><p>Ciel’s lab was the same as ever, dirty and dusty, unkempt. The scientist collapsed into her chair, visibly exhausted and worn out. “It’s nice to be home.” She mumbled out. Passy almost was going to agree with her, forgetting for a moment that Passy was pretending to be an amnesiac reploid who’s never been to the resistance base.</p><p>“Welcome to our Resistance Base, Zero.” Ciel greeted, looking at Passy. “This is a shelter for injured Reploids who are suspected of being Mavericks. We have fought so hard to survive…” She continued. “However, we know that the end is coming... but that's why we have been looking for you. You are our last hope.” Passy knew very well the stress of looking for Zero, she was looking for him as well. She, of course, never expected the outcome to be <em> this. </em></p><p>Passy stoically nodded. That was in character for Zero, right? From all the research she and Ciel did on the guy, he didn’t seem like the talkative type. Nor the type to be all that emotive, either.</p><p>Yeah. Stoically nodding is in character for Zero, she thinks.</p><p>Ciel nodded back, breathing in. “Most of us think that Zero is nothing but a fantasy. However, a few still believed in your existence and have looked for you…” Oh, boy, they were technically right with <em> that </em> assertion. “You <em>ARE</em> Zero, the legendary Reploid who fought with X to save the world 100 years ago.”</p><p><em> X? </em> Zero fought with <em> X? </em> In all her research with Ciel, she hardly remembers a detail like that about the red maverick hunter. </p><p>Had Ciel hid that from her?</p><p>“X...?” She repeats, before trying to save face. “That name sounds familiar.”</p><p>Ciel sighed, looking away. “X…” She paused. “That legendary Reploid is still alive and he's trying to retire all of us.”</p><p>Passy cringed. She was quite familiar with the horrible atrocities X has committed against reploids - <em> innocent </em> reploids. Many of them were executed for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or worse, for just <em> existing. </em> Many reploids of the resistance had run-ins with Neo Arcadia -- with <em> X, </em>just for not wanting to die.</p><p>“His plans have already begun.” Ciel continued, her body language becoming tense and worried. “Many innocent Reploids are being retired as we speak... we need your help. Our future depends on you…” The young girl’s voice began to crack up, desperate and <em> terrified. </em>And Passy was the only person who could fix that, even if she wasn’t Zero.</p><p>“Please help us.” Ciel weakly pleaded, hands in her face.</p><p>Passy already had her answer. Knew the answer deep in her heart.</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>The cyber elf had no reason to refuse Ciel. Ciel was her friend, and Passy’s been there for her in the past.</p><p>Why would that ever change <em> now? </em> She may be in a new body, and she <em> is </em> pretending to be the new savior of the resistance, but she has no reason to abandon the resistance, abandon <em> Ciel.  </em></p><p>Ciel lifted her head, surprised. Almost expecting Passy (or, in Ciel’s mind, Zero) to give a blunt and cruel <em> No way. </em> “Thank you... this is truly like a dream comes true. Now… with <em> your </em>help... I think I can save everyone.” She paused, sitting more properly, but still looking like a mess. Passy doesn’t judge Ciel for that, as Passy reminds herself, Ciel is only fourteen. And no fourteen year old should have to deal with any of the things Ciel deals with. “I have something I need to ask you.” </p><p>Another, short pause from Ciel, almost like the girl is trying to figure out the correct words to say. Her lips curled in, forming a slim crease. “...Please talk to me, when you are ready.”</p><p>There’s a silence after Ciel finishes speaking, as if expecting Passy to leave the office for a moment of brevity and clarity to mull over everything spoken about. Which, Passy takes, just to check up on everyone in the resistance, and to give Ciel a moment of silence. Of course, the cyber elf is going to be quick about her allotted time. </p><p>She leaves the room. Just for a moment.</p><p>The resistance is the same as always, dirty, faintly smelling of mud and rain water. Passy never really explored the resistance like this before, with her former nature as a cyber elf. Mainly, because she was too busy taking care of Ciel.</p><p>Passy’s taking this time to get used to her new body. Again, Zero’s form is completely unlike her original form. For one, his limbs are so damn <em> long, </em> and also he’s <em> tall -- </em> prior to this, Passy was used to being as big as Ciel’s head. Safe to say, it was a bit of a whiplash for Passy, although she doesn’t practiculary <em> mind </em>the sudden boost in her size and (hypothetical) power. </p><p>Compared to being a cyber elf, being a reploid is… <em> interesting </em> to say the least. At least Ciel can now see her properly without the use of her helmet, which is… helpful, so put it simply. Although, Passy is going to have a tough time getting used to the masculinity very <em> evident </em> in Zero’s body, which is a contrast to Passy's original body, which had a very... <em> feminine </em>form.</p><p>And, plus, there’s the--</p><p>
  <em> Bump. </em>
</p><p>...Huh?</p><p>Passy should probably work on paying attention now she’s gotten a handle of her new body mechanics. Who she had bumped into was a small, blonde child reploid, in a flowing and tattered pink dress. She was clutching tightly to a small, white cat doll. Seemingly, the little girl had ran into her leg.</p><p>Well. This is new. Very new. She’s never seen a reploid like this before, or for that matter, a reploid <em> this </em>young looking.</p><p>“Oh!” Passy squeaked, before coughing to deepen her voice. “Are you alright…?” She asked, bending down to the little girl up. </p><p>The girl dully blinked. “I’m fine.” There wasn’t a proper way to describe the way the little girl talked, other than stilted. “Nice to meet you. You’re the guy that saved Ciel, didn't you? My name is Alouette.” She introduced to Passy, tilting her head. “Ciel named me.” Alouette added, holding onto her doll. “What’s your name?”</p><p>Word spreads around fast the resistance base, apparently. She already figured as much, but she didn’t expect for it to go around <em> that </em>quickly.</p><p>“...Zero.” Passy answered. </p><p>Alouette stood, without any help from Passy. “Have you heard of a thing called Cyber-elf, Zero?” <em> You don’t know the half of it, kid. </em> “A Cyber-elf is an electronic entity that gives some kind of power. But once they use their power, they die…” A tinge of discomfort rolled down Passy’s spine, remembering that technically, <em> she </em>should be dead right now. “I feel sorry for them…”</p><p>“...I do too.” Passy mumbled, standing up.</p><p>Well. That was enough of that.</p><p><em> ...You should go see Ciel. </em> The voice in her head -- her conscious, as she’s probably going to nickname it, rang in her head. <em> Now. </em>It rang again, far more intense than what it was saying prior.</p><p>Thanks for the tip, voice in her head. She <em> should </em>probably go talk to Ciel now.</p><p>Entering the lab was awkward, watching Ciel type into the computer in front of her, gathering data for god knows what.</p><p>She softly lifted her head, looking at Passy. She was tired, the more Passy studied the girl's face. Way too tired, a concerning amount of <em> too tired. </em>“Are you ready...?” Passy noddied in response, continuing to study the other girl’s face. How did she not notice this before? It’s… weird.</p><p>Ciel swallowed, looking at Passy. “Now, listen. What I want to ask you is if you would try and do something that no one has been able to do so far…” Her eyes stared into Passy’s, with an intensity Passy’s never seen before. “I want you to destroy the Disposal Center, where they retire our comrades one after another.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Well.</p><p>That’s certainly a first mission.</p><p>“...I see.” Passy answers, she’s desperately trying her best <em> not </em>to show her panic. “Continue.”</p><p>Ciel nodded. “Even while I speak, they may be retiring a Reploid who is wrongly suspected of being a Maverick. To prevent any additional loss of Reploid life, please destroy the enemy facility…” She pauses. “...Will you accept the mission, Zero?”</p><p>Passy, again, nodded. It’s an intense and life threatening mission, she knows that, even <em> if </em>she’s just a cyber elf. </p><p>The Disposal Center was just as bad, if not <em> worse, </em>as Ciel was vaguely describing it to be.</p><p>Passy has seen incognito images from the center -- <em> gruesome images, </em>of mutilated reploids, Neo Arcadia socialites in places far from what the positions they once held. All led by a monster few speak or even dare whisper the name of. A name Passy had the displeasure of knowing, from survivors and the few surviving victims from the center speaking it aloud.</p><p>
  <em> Aztec Falcon.  </em>
</p><p>The warden and executioner of the Disposal Center.</p><p>A mutos reploid and member of the Neo Arcadian military, a high ranking official in the Strong Air Battalion under the Four Neo Arcadian Guardians. Fitting his name, Aztec Falcon looked like his namesake -- a falcon. Despite being avian in appearance, all Passy could see him as is a cold blooded monster. She may have never met him personally, but the amount of resistance members he’s killed has left Passy feeling nothing but rage at him. </p><p>Rage is unbefitting of cyber elf. Passy knows that all too well.</p><p>But Passy isn’t a cyber elf anymore, technically.</p><p>...Anyways.</p><p>So, putting it lightly, Passy has a tall order to complete. A tall order that’ll either end her death, or the beginning of the Resistance’s victory against Neo Arcadia.</p><p>“Yes.” Passy answered. Even if she had a chance of dying, she had to fight. <em> Zero </em>had to fight, even if she isn’t Zero.</p><p>Ciel went back to her computer. “...Unfortunately, there’s a signal jammer installed at the Disposal Center, so I won’t be able to navigate your mission.” She answered, going into what Passy liked to refer to as <em> ‘Ciel’s workaholic mode’. </em>“However, it’s only new gen signals they block,” Ciel opened a drawer in her desk -- pulling out two communicator devices. “They’d never think to block old tech like this.” She said, with a tired expression on her face, handing Passy a device. “These're walkie talkies, as Colbar calls ‘em.”</p><p>“So you’ll communicate with me through these?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Crafty.”</p><p>Ciel nodded, before directing Passy to the computer monitor, pointing at a certain image on it.</p><p>Aztec Falcon.</p><p>Passy cringed at the image of the monster, trying to suppress her rage from bubbling to the surface.</p><p>“This is your target.” She said, firmly. “Once you take him out, the Disposal Center will be shut down for good -- our comrades and any all the victims there will be saved.” Ciel finished, looking at Passy again, as she clutched onto the walkie talkie as if her life depended on it. “Now, I ask again, do you accept this as your mission, Zero?”</p><p>Passy clipped the walkie talkie to her side, next to her whip and her buster. She should probably find a better place to store her weapons, but now was not the time for her to figure this out. Perhaps, once the mission has been completed.</p><p>“Of course, Ciel.” She paused. “Just tell me where to go. I’m at your command.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><hr/><hr/><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> Dear God / Zero / Whoever the voice in my head is- </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> So apparently the 'bad vibes' I’ve been feeling are actually severe psychological distress. </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> So, that’s something to think about. </em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wonder who the voice in Passy's head is... 🤔<br/>Anyways: fun fact! Apparently, in the MMZ manga, Passy has to posses Zero for him to 'act' like Zero. I should read the manga to see how the Mangaka writes Passy...</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sooooo AR_MegaMan on twitter made a tweet that was a 'what if scenario' -- <i>what if Passy possessed Zero instead of reviving him?</i> So, this is basically that. Funny how a joke tweet made me care about a one scene wonder character like Passy. Writing Passy is hard because unlike other megaman characters... Passy doesn't have much, well... character. </p><p>Like, I guess she's... nice? And selflessly devoted to Ciel, I think, but that's mainly because she's a cyber elf. I think.</p><p>She basically dies the scene she's introduced lmao</p><p>So, obivously, I took some creative liberties when Im writing this and writing Passy.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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